When bank notes are processed a stack of bank notes is inserted in an input pocket, from which the bank notes are singled. The singled bank notes are transferred to a transport system, checked by sensors and allocated to output pockets in dependence of the checking. In doing so, the bank notes are checked for authenticity, soiling, damage, currency, denomination, etc. and sorted into the different output pockets in dependence thereof. Bank notes which were not recognized definitely or in an error-free fashion are sorted into a special output pocket, a reject pocket.
However, in the processing of sheet material faulty processing operations occur time and again, which are caused by disturbances such as jams or other malfunctions. To eliminate the disturbances, such as e. g. jams, extensive interference by operators is required, since for example the sheet material already processed and accounted before the malfunction has to be considered by the operator in such a fashion that the accounting which has taken place is not changed. Moreover, the operator must sort the sheet material concerned by malfunctions manually. However, such manual processing and consideration in accounting is work-intensive and very error-prone.
To avoid this it can be provided to continue operating the transport system after the occurrence of a disturbance for such a time until all bank notes disposed in the transport system have been removed from the transport system. Such a procedure and apparatus are described for example in EP 1 276 080 A2.
When disturbances occur, e g. jams, however, great loads and consequently wear or damages of the transport system or of sensitive components of the apparatus, e. g. of the sensors, can occur in the event that the transport system is continued to be operated after the occurrence of the disturbance, so as to remove all bank notes which are disposed in the transport system from the transport system. In this case the transport system is operated for a longer time after the occurrence of the disturbance. However, the danger of excessive loads and consequently wear or damages is given also in the case that the transport system is stopped immediately, since the transport system has a response delay of a certain time when it is stopped.